People seeking asylum in the UK deserve the right to work in any job if their case remains unresolved after six months - it’s not just a matter of basic human rights but a chance to boost our economy.
People seeking asylum in the UK are often fleeing unimaginable horrors such as war, persecution, and violence in their home countries. Seeking asylum is not a choice, but a necessary step to ensure safety and survival. Yet, despite their dire need for stability and security, asylum seekers in the UK are confronted with a cruel reality: the denial of their right to work, which forces them into a cycle of poverty, perpetuating long-term economic instability, social isolation, and mental health challenges.
It's time to take action and push the government to grant people seeking refugee status the right to work in the UK - in any job role - if their asylum case remains unresolved after six months. Conversations about asylum seekers should always foreground the humanity and dignity of people seeking asylum. However, the economic case for granting asylum seekers the right to work is so strong that it can be a powerful tool to put pressure on the government to take action. It's a practical solution that not only acknowledges asylum seekers’ basic human rights but would reduce the costs of the current asylum system and boost the country's economy.
Currently, people seeking asylum in the UK are not allowed to work until their claim has been processed and they’ve been granted refugee status. This can take months or even years, during which time they are prohibited from working and forced to rely on meagre government support. In fact, asylum seekers are provided just £6.43 a day to cover basic necessities like food, nappies, and clothing.
Asylum seekers can apply for the right to work if their case remains unresolved after 12 months - which is twice as long as it’s supposed to take to be processed - but there’s a very limited set of jobs that asylum seekers can apply for if their application is approved. The government says this deters immigration to the UK but there’s no evidence to suggest this is true, or that immigration would increase if asylum seekers were allowed to apply for any job.
Granting asylum seekers the right to work if their case remains unresolved after six months would bring significant economic and social benefits to the UK. With the right to work, asylum seekers can increase their earning potential and contribute to the economy by paying taxes and spending more money. In turn, this reduces the costs of the existing asylum system, and allows people seeking asylum to retain their dignity and independence.
The Lift the Ban Coalition estimates that giving people seeking asylum the right to work would boost the UK economy by £97.8 million per year. It would also reduce the costs of the existing, struggling asylum system. Asylum seekers are often highly skilled and have valuable work experience, but are not able to make use of their skills and contribute to vital services like the NHS - which currently faces over 112,000 vacancies. Allowing people seeking asylum to work would help them to maintain their dignity and independence, and reduce their reliance on government support.
People seeking asylum are often socially isolated, with little opportunity to make friends, improve their English, or contribute to their new communities. Work enables people to learn new skills and provide employers with a diverse and experienced workforce. People seeking asylum often have extensive knowledge, years of experience, and talent that’s totally wasted without the right to work.
Everyone is entitled to the same, basic human rights as anyone else, regardless of where you come from or what your journey in life has been. Preventing people seeking asylum from working is a violation of their human rights, and increases the risk of modern slavery and trafficking.
Granting asylum seekers the right to work if their case remains unresolved after six months is not only the right thing to do from a human rights perspective, but it would also bring clear economic and social benefits to the country. Asylum seekers have so much to offer but currently, they’re prevented from doing so by arbitrary policies that are poorly justified. Giving people seeking asylum the right to work would enable them to contribute to the economy, integrate more easily, and improve their mental health and wellbeing. The UK government should recognise the value of people seeking asylum and grant them the right to work without constraints.
If you want to help win asylum seekers the right to work, you can take action over on Organise today. Get the conversation started at your workplace with an anonymous question, or even put the pressure on the government with a campaign. And remember, you can always email action@organise.network if you’d like some help.
Zainabb supports Organise members and helps organisers tweak campaigns to increase their impact.
